Conversation with Valerie Rockefeller, chair of the Board of Directors of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

If a single name were ever synonymous with, and evocative of immense wealth – certainly in the pre- high tech, pre-Elon Musk era – it has to be that of Rockefeller.

John Davison Rockefeller Sr. was a legendary American industrialist and philanthropist. One of the wealthiest people in modern history, his name continues to command awe and is often used as a noun (“I am not a Rockefeller!”).

Rockefeller was one of the first philanthropist in the world, practically defining the concept and living by example from a very early age.

Valerie Rockefeller is his great-great-granddaughter. In addition to chairing the Board of Directors of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, she is actively involved in a number of other philanthropic organisations and is a passionate supporter of environmental causes.

Growing up in West Virginia

Valerie’s childhood was obviously privileged and insulated, not just by virtue of family wealth – her father, John Davison “Jay” Rockefeller IV, was at the time Governor of West Virginia, a small and isolated state whose culture she is says is “all about coal”, although at time environmentalism had not yet entered the collective consciousness as a cause to fight for.

When Jay Rockefeller became senator, the family moved to Washington DC, immersing Valerie into a much more sophisticated and competitive environment.

What’s in a name

The awareness of what the Rockefeller name, its sheer clout and legacy signify, dawned on Valerie when she began to become involved in family philanthropy.

Leveraging the power of a name to impact philanthropic, political, social, cultural or humanitarian causes is a well-established tradition.

Joining the family’s multifaceted philanthropic organisations would have been de rigueur and part of the family tradition.

She has, however, taken this to another level: Valerie Rockefeller is an activist, an educator and an advocate; she dedicates time and funds to the causes she believes in. She speaks the language of a global constituency of people who are passionate environmentalists; people who are striving for a more equitable world. 

It would be easy to view this commitment with a degree of cynicism given her family name and wealth. To her credit, she does put her money where her mouth is and holds her own in contentious debates.

<<Philanthropy should build a stage for people to bring attention to their voices and work – it should help provide infrastructure and light.>>

BB: Does the name define you? Does it define the perception of you?

VR:It has certainly helped shape my identity. It has given me opportunities. Obviously, I am enormously privileged to have benefited from a family wealth transfer, as are the other members of the extended Rockefeller family. This has enabled me to contribute non-profits and serve on the board of many.

It has, I suppose, coloured some people’s assumptions about me: rich, spoilt and obnoxious, outgoing… People who don’t know me probably have low expectations of me.

I have sought, throughout my life, to prove myself and to show that a Rockefeller is not automatically entitled.

I am hard-working; I don’t belong to country or social clubs. I don’t attend high profile parties or wear expensive jewellery;  I live in a fairly modest house with my three children.  

BB: Do the Rockefellers see themselves as custodians of the Rockefeller wealth and legacy, duty-bound to engage in philanthropy?

VR: Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is a global multifaceted services nonprofit; we do collaborate between foundations, certainly the ones I am on the board of.  We often fund groups to come together, to work on a specific problem.

I am also a trustee of the Trust for Mutual Understanding, which was started and founded in 1984 by one of my aunts to promote peace instead of nuclear weapons through artistic and environemnetal exchange. The Trust is dedicated to promoting improved communication, closer cooperation, and greater respect between the people of the United States and countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Ethical Investments

VR: We may have different approaches to sustainable investment the but the principle remains the same: invest in progress instead of exploitation. You can still make money and ensure a better future for the planet and the next generations.

I believe in equity of access and in overcoming racism. A lot of my work and that of my family is focuses on combatting the use of fossil fuels.

For example, we work with local communities to make the clean energy transition if they are stymied by lack of access to information or other resources. Fossil fuel interests often block legislative progress but there are now government funds available if you can organize your community to apply for them. Too many state governments are stuck in the past, in fact, Florida has specifically excluded the climate change conversation from the school curriculum.  

BB:Why is that?

VR: People are not prepared to change their lifestyles, which is critical to combatting global warming. Then there are the short-term thinking financiers (Wall Street banks are major funders of fossil fuel!) and those who blocked congestion pricing in New York City, which was poised to address a major problem after ten years of planning.

We make ethical investments. We do not invest in fossil fuels, prisons, weaponry, or the fur trade, companies that oppose LGBTQ+ rights, for example.

My sister-in-law (Indre Rockefeller) started the Circularity Project (https://www.circularityproject.org/), a non-profit that encourages designers to make products that can be used again and again or returned to nature, with the goal of eliminating waste and minimizing environmental impact.

“Not every Rockefeller is an activist, but they are all progressive philanthropists”

My older brother is a keen environmentalist, a vegan and a chess player. He does philanthropy mainly outside family nonprofits, for example to the US Chess foundation.

*John D. Rockefeller V has donated three million dollars to the organization, the largest single gift ever presented to US Chess in their 81-year history.

BB: How has the Rockefeller name defined your children, if at all? What do they most care about?

VR: My children are aware, certainly, and proud of the work I do, but we live very modestly.

They are fortunate enough to have travelled widely, to some extraordinary place too (the Amazon, for one), which is an education in itself. They are global citizens and care deeply about the environment.

My daughters and son enjoy competitive rowing, care about climate change and individual rights, and are interested in politics.

BB: Environmental issues, climate change, conservation, resource-depletion, build-up of microplastics should be priority number one to people who can make a difference. Why, in your opinion, some ignore the consequences of not dedicating time and money to mitigating the effects of human impact on the planet? They have children, after all and cannot insulate them from future disasters.

VR: Injustice!!! Almost every problem is based on inequality, usually caused by greed.

But I try very hard not to be judgmental. The same people who use private jets and have enormous yachts also give enormous amount of money to causes. They have a huge spending power and change-making connections. I never preach: my approach to philanthropy is above all pragmatic.

*Valerie Rockefeller chairs the Board of Directors of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a nonprofit philanthropic services organization dedicated to accelerating philanthropy in pursuit of a just world. She serves as a trustee of Achievement First, Columbia University’s Teachers College, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the Rockefeller Family Fund, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Europe, and the Trust for Mutual Understanding. She co-founded BankFWD, was a trustee of Spelman College and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Institute’s This Is Planet Ed, and the Generosity Commission.